Tragic: Five die, 35 injured in road accident

Passengers say the driver was trying to avoid hitting a bike when the bus lost balance

BHAKKAR: Five people died and 35 were injured in a road accident in Bhakkar on Sunday.

Police said a passenger bus en-route to Dera Ismail Khan lost balance and toppled on its side near Jahan Khan. Passengers said the driver had swerved to avoid hitting a motorcycle coming from the opposite direction. However, he was too late and the bus rammed into the motorcycle then teetered on two wheels and toppled over.

Five people died in the accident. Four of them – Sajida Bibi, Gulsher and two children Saima and Ali – had been on the motorcycle. While Chaudhry Mehmood was the only bus passenger who died, 35 of the passengers, including the driver were injured.



A Rescue-1122 team arrived at the scene and took the injured passengers to the district headquarters hospital. DPO Iftikharul Haq and MPA Amir Inayat Shahani visited the hospital and inquired after the patients. The DPO said they had started initial investigations after which they would decide whether or not to register a case against the bus driver.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in a press statement, expressed grief over the accident and offered the bereaved his condolences. He also directed the district administration to facilitate the injured passengers and provide them the best possible treatment.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2015.